Sacred Word and Sacred Text: Scripture in World Religions

Modern western culture values the primacy of written over spoken communication in law, scholarship, and religion. But this fascinating study shows that this is a relatively recent characteristic. Even today, it is atypical of how most believers experience scripture. Argues that understanding the tradition of oral scripture is crucial to understanding the true character of the Gospels (makes the same argument with reference to other faith traditions, e.g. Hinduism and Islam). He argues that historically it has always been the oral word that has the greater power to transform lives. Required reading for professors and students of religion.